Hello, everyone! Today we have another mythical and amazing author, brennaiswriting, the author of Tempting the Fates.

About the Author: Brenna, aka "brennaiswriting" is a librarian by day, and an author by night. She's been writing since the years of dialup internet, and finds that there is nothing quite as cathartic as putting your imagination down on paper.

About 'Tempting the Fates': Callie is pretty happy with her life. She's on her way to fulfill her dream of becoming a heart surgeon, and her dad is her biggest supporter. But when her long-lost mom shows up and breaks the news that Callie is not only a demigod, but betrothed to Hades, the God of the Underworld, she's forced to put everything she loves behind her to fulfill her destiny.

But all is not well in the Underworld. Someone is after their throne, and they want to open Tartarus once and for all. Callie and her new husband must travel between the Underworld, Earth, and Olympus to gain help from some larger-than-life gods and fix everything before it's too late. The balance of life and death depends on it.

About other Myth & Legend Related Books: I have written a story about vampires and witches called "Thicker Than Water", a novella about a haunted house and a *ghostly* love triangle called "Kiss Me at Midnight", and books about Greek gods called "Tempting the Fates" and the work-in-progress sequel called, "The Golden Rule".

1. What made you start writing on Wattpad? What has been your favorite moment so far on the orange app?

I've been writing since I was a kid, mostly just for fun or catharsis. But I had one friend who liked for me to read my stories out loud to her when we were teenagers. When COVID hit, we all had a lot more time on our hands, and that friend encouraged me to start writing on Wattpad. I decided I had nothing better to do, and I figured I'd see if anyone liked what I wrote. After a couple smaller works, she convinced me to start a book that became "Tempting the Fates", and the rest is history! 

My favorite moment on Wattpad so far has been when people comment on either the epilogue chapter or on my wall, telling me how much they loved my book. Having people waiting anxiously for the next chapter gives me a feeling of purpose.

2. Which mythology and/or legends influenced your story? Why did you choose those?

I have always been obsessed with Greek mythology, but the legend of Hades and Persephone always struck a chord with me. 

If you've ever looked at the stories of the gods and goddesses, you know that they were all pretty wild- having lots of affairs, sticking their noses in mortal's lives, and basically just doing what they wanted. But apart from the story with Persephone and a few small quests (like Orpheus), Hades seems to keep to himself. He appears to have been one of the only main gods who was faithful to his spouse, and he preferred to keep a balance rather than meddle. 

That had me wondering- in a world where Greek gods could do just about anything they wanted, why did this one stay home and hang out with his wife? It "hit home" for me, since I tend to be the same exact way. I would rather get take out and hang out at home with my husband than go out looking for drama or a wild time. So I imagined what kind of woman a modern-day Hades would look for, and my character Callie took form.

3. Tell us about the main character of one of your stories. What inspired their creation?

Callie Prescott is a typical modern-day woman. At the beginning of book one, she's almost 21, and she's deep into her studies to become a heart surgeon. She lives in the city with her doting father, but she longs for so much more. 

I wanted her to be strong-willed and intelligent. She was going to be someone who seamlessly moved into becoming the Queen of a kingdom, and cared deeply for those who resided there. With who her mother was, I thought that her fascination with the heart (as it has become the universal symbol of love) would be a bit ironic. 

In my mind Hades was also strong-willed, intelligent, and caring. He needed someone who could keep up with him, and someone who could heal the pain he had from his previous marriage. Callie's personality had formed on its own, but the intricacies of their relationship really catered to how Callie could heal him.

4. What were some challenges you experienced while writing the story?

The biggest challenge I had while writing the story was explaining the... interesting family trees. I decided pretty quickly that I didn't want to make too many of the traditional relationships as they were (to prevent familial relationships, essentially), but I do give it a little bit of homage with Callie's brother Eros.

 I also struggled to choose certain characters or storylines to write in. Greek mythology is HEAVY in content and you could easily write a 450+ page book about them without even getting detailed. So I had to pick and choose characters that I thought complimented the story, though there were several that either didn't make it in or barely made it in that I would have loved to see more of (Cerberus, Hecate, Nyx to name just a few).

5.Do you have a song playlist for writing? Can you share one with us?

Each of my books had at least one song that really encompassed the feeling of the story. For Tempting the Fates, I listened a lot to: 

"Worlds Collide" by The Tenors

 I also loved:
"City of the Dead" by Eurielle
"Wicked Game" by Ursine Vulpine ft. Annaca
"That's the Truth" by McFly
Dark Academia playlists on YouTube

6. What is your favorite myth or legend? Why?

My favorite is definitely Hades and Persephone, but my second favorite would probably be the Sphinx, flying around spinning riddles and scarfing down children. It's incredibly dark and pretty morbid, but I love the idea that a strong, creative mind (Oedipus) was what it took to defeat a monster, rather than brute strength or military prowess.

7. What is your favorite mythical creature? Why?

Cerberus will always hold a very special place in my heart. I already love animals so much, so why wouldn't I want a dog with three heads? More kisses to go around!

8.If you could have the same powers as a creature and/or deity from mythology or legends, what would it be? Why?

I would love to have the powers of Nephthys, the Egyptian goddess. She has multicolored angel wings and can fly! Her wings can actually shield people from harm, which is why she's a goddess of magic protection, not just family and the air.

 I have always been obsessed with flying, but I am also a big family person. I love my family and would do anything to protect them. So she seems like the perfect deity to have powers from!

9.What is your advice other writers who want to use mythology in their story?

The only thing I would say is that mythology has a bit of fluidity to it. For example, there are different names for the Greek and Roman gods, though they are considered the same people (ie, Hades and Pluto). Some regions might have a similar story that ends differently. Just remember to stick to the basics of a story to retain the feeling, but don't be afraid to make it your own. 

And of course, have fun! Mythology is about the fantastical becoming reality. They say the sky is the limit- but in mythology, that's not really true, is it? Reach even higher than that if you want to!

That's it for the month, it was fun getting to know about Brenna (brennaiswriting). You can check their stories featured in our reading list as well as their other works.

Until next time!